Injuries have always been a factor in everyone’s career and it affects some players more than others. Take Greg Oden for example, a former #1 overall pick who is slowly having his NBA dream slip away. He has not given up and has worked out for the Charlotte Hornets this past week and the Dallas Mavericks sometime this week in hopes of getting one last shot. Here is what Real Basketball GM had to say:
As Greg Oden attempts a return in the NBA, the former No. 1 overall pick worked out for the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday and will visit the Dallas Mavericks this week, league sources told RealGM.
Oden will be part of the Mavericks’ free-agent mini-camp that includes wings and several big men, such as Keith Benson. The 7-foot Oden had worked out for the Memphis Grizzlies in the spring, and the franchise is expected to continue to monitor him.
The last we saw of Oden he was in a bench role for the Miami Heat during the 2013-2014 season. During that time he played in only 23 games and started 6 of those games, averaging only 2.9 points and 2.3 rebounds. After being draft in 2007 he missed his rookie season and the next two season he played sparingly, both times his season was cut short due to knee problems. After he went on a three-year hiatus and signed with the Miami Heat and did not play this past season with continuing knee problems.
This is ultimately his last chance to make it in the NBA. After multiple knee surgeries and being out of the league for a couple of years it does not seem likely that he will make any opening day roster. The only teams I can see them giving Oden a legitimate shot are either the Memphis Grizzlies or the Dallas Mavericks. For Memphis, he can back up both Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. He is also real good friends with former teammate at Ohio State and current starting point guard Mike Conley. For Dallas, I feel that Mark Cuban would give a guy like Greg Oden a chance to compete in training camp because he can also be a valuable role player in certain situations if other teams have 7 foot centers. While it seems like a long shot given his history, it is one of those things in which a player much Like Oden had a ton of potential but never worked out because of constant knee surgeries. Obviously this is not the route Greg Oden expected to take but you have to give him credit for actually attempting to come back from this.
